In the centre of the village, at the fountain, turn left off the road joining an ancient path that leaves the village and heads up through trees along the north side of the valley. It’s a beautiful climb with great views through gaps in the trees to the limestone cliffs on other side of the valley. 800 metres from Remolina, and after 200m of ascent, the route reaches a gate where the path splits: take the left fork. There is a particularly good viewing point just before the gate. By the time you have reached the pass, the Collada de Mostagerosa, you will have climbed nearly 500m.
From the top of the pass, to the east, you can just see Tejerina the village in the bottom of the next valley. Although it doesn’t look far the route to it is indirect. After the pass leave the dirt road and follow a path through broom and scrub. Initially it’s easy to follow but as it turns directly down the valley side, alongside a stream, it becomes overgrown, and the waymarks are difficult to find. The waymarks re-emerge about 100 metres below the point at which the route follows the stream but on the other side.
The GR1 then contours around the valley heading south and away from Tejerina along a dirt road before switching back on itself along an ancient tree-lined path towards the village. After 600 metres cross a dirt road and continue north through a pasture. The waymarks are again difficult to follow. After 200 metres, and on the other side of the pasture, the route runs alongside an old wall, a path and irrigation canal heading east and down towards Tejerina. Approaching the village the path merges with the irrigation canal and the route will almost certainly be wet and muddy.
Tejerina is a small village with no services. Watch out for the work of a local sculptor who has had some fun with the drinking fountains.
Arriving at the church, follow the road south out of the village for about 200 metres and turn left off the road onto a path. The path climbs gradually around an open hillside, heading south, before turning and crossing the pass, the Collado der Corral de los Lobos (site of an ancient wolf trap). On the other side of the pass the route joins a dirt road that it follows all the way down to Prioro.
Prioro is a village with a limited range of services including a cafeteria/bar ‘El Pando’, a restaurant ‘Las Conjas’ and a bread shop. There are three casa rurals that provide rooms on a nightly basis – the Molino de Prioro (987 71 55 12), the El Cueto Apartmentos (987 533 477) and the Casa Rural El Serrano (659 97 56 45) – the last two are both available through Booking.com.
STAGE 3
Prioro to Camporredondo de Alba
| Start | Calle la Iglesia, Prioro (1075m) |
| Distance | 24.5km |
| Ascent/Descent | 960m/810m |
| Grade | 4/4 |
| Walking time | 8hr 40min |
| Maximum altitude | 1606m |
A wonderful walk with huge open stretches dominated by views of the Peña Espigüete. There is nowhere to eat on the way so either take lunch or plan for a late one at Camporredondo de Alba.
The main street through Prioro is called Ctra Pedrosa. At the junction with Calle la Iglesia head east (opposite the Calle la Iglesia) and follow the road as it swings north on the west side of a valley to a dirt road and GR1 waymarks.
After 400 metres the dirt road divides. Take the right-hand fork over a bridge and head east. After a further 50 metres, cross another small bridge, ignoring a road to the left, turn right and leave the main dirt road (that continues on along the valley). Cross a bridge over the river and climb up the farm road on the southern side of the valley. After nearly 3km and 200m of climb the route reaches the top of the pass.
Crossing the pass the waymarks are a little confusing but the GR1 runs east down the valley and parallel to a road visible from the top. From the pass it dives through a gap in some gorse bushes and then turns down the valley before eventually meeting the road that takes you into Besande.
Besande has a fine 13th-century Romanesque church and an example of an hórreo, an ancient wooden grain store built on a stone plinth. There are also signs to a restaurant but it wasn’t open the last time I visited.
Leave the village on its eastern side, cross a bridge over the Río Grande, head northeast along the valley, parallel with the main road on its the western side. After about 3km the trail veers east into a wider valley dominated at the end by Peña Espigüete. The next village, 2km further on, Valverde de la Sierra, appears to sit underneath the mountain.
Valverde de la Sierra has a pretty Romanesque church but no services. It sits on the boundary between Parque Regional de Picos de Europa and the Parque Natural de Fuentas Carrionas y Fuente Cobre.
Take the road east out of the village (it turns into a dirt road and swings east) along a flat-bottomed valley. After about a kilometre, the road disappears and the route follows a trail through scrub up the side of the valley to the ridge. Head north along the ridge to the pass, the Collado de Cruz Armada, enjoying amazing views of Peña Espigüete.
Looking east towards Peña Espigüete from Collado de Cruz Armada
The GR1 then stays high, heading southeast for another 5km on an easy-to-follow dirt trail before making on a gentle descent down to Camporredondo de Alba. The views on this last part of the walk are excellent.
Camporredondo de Alba is a pretty village located immediately beneath a dam to the reservoir named after the village. It has two restaurant/hotels: the Meson el Abuelo (979 86 60 34); and the Hostal Restaurant Tia Goya (979 86 60 32). Both serve local food and the Tia Goya is open all year round.
STAGE 4
Camporredondo de Alba to Cervera de Pisuerga
| Start | Meson el Abuelo, Camporrendondo de Alba (1250m) |
| Distance | 30km |
| Ascent/Descent | 680m/900m |
| Grade | 4/4 |
| Walking time | 9hrs 20min |
| Maximum altitude | 1433m |
Apart from a 5km stretch of road walking, this is another excellent stage with great views, particularly early on. There are several options for lunch stops (and wild water swimming), particularly towards the end.
From the hotel(s) head east to the trees in the village centre and down the bridge over the Río Carrión. Watch out for otters in the river. After 200 metres take the left fork before a bridge over a stream and head along a dirt road up the valley past a series of buildings containing beehives. Follow the dirt road as it turns north and head downhill over a cattle grid to a junction with other paths, cross it and carry on into ever-improving scenery.
Peña Espigüete (2150m) is now to the west of the trail and Curavacas (2525m) to the north. In the foreground is the Embalse de Camporredondo (reservoir).
The trail continues north above the banks of the reservoir, crosses a bridge and then splits with a variant heading onto Triollo.
Triollo has one hotel, the Hostal Rural La Montaña (979 866 171) 3km to the north of the village and Hostel Curavacas (979 866 223) which is a available through Booking.com.
The main GR1 turns right at the junction with the variant and heads east across open moorland to La Lastra, a hamlet with no services. Turn right in the centre of the village and follow a small road heading south and take the first left along an old tree-lined trail going east along a shallow but pretty valley which, depending on the time of year, will be full of cattle. The route passes underneath power lines and becomes a little steeper as it climbs up to a road, a picnic spot and some information boards